


The Third Wheel

by firenewt



Category: Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII, Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Angst and Humor, Cute, Gen, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2018-11-14
Packaged: 2019-08-23 11:45:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16618364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firenewt/pseuds/firenewt
Summary: Turks must work together and be able to depend on each other for their very lives. But when a new Turk comes on board, it throws Cissnei's little world into chaos, and forces her to look at growing up.





	The Third Wheel

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Turk Week 2018, Day 2. The prompt was "team building".
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: Thanks to Square Enix for letting me play in their world.

The new guy sucked. Sucked BIG time. Sucked SO HARD. Cissnei growled to herself as she slammed the speed bag over and over. WHY did he have to come HERE. WHY didn’t he stay in the SLUMS where he BELONGED. She HATED HIM. And she HATED Tseng. And she HATED Veld. But espECially RENO. What a STUPID name. Sounds like some kind of CAR. Or SPAGHETTI SAUCE. Or a…

She missed a beat. Her fist went past the bag and she was off balance for just a second and the bag flew back and smacked her in the face. Eyes squeezed shut against the pain, and the tears of anger and frustration, she dropped to the training room floor and pounded her fists on it. “I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU!” she yelled, until she flopped over on her side in exhaustion. She lay there with her aching hands pulled protectively in to her body, feeling so, so sorry for herself, and mad at the world. 

She rolled onto her back and kicked her feet against the floor until those, too, hurt. No one cared. No one came to see where she was. No one cared if she was dead or alive. They only cared about the NEW GUY. 

_Drizzle-douche_. She said it quietly to herself, trying it out. She had overheard a cadet the other day, and thought it sounded quite insulting. And grown up. She wasn’t sure what it meant, but that didn’t matter. “DRIZZLE-DOUCHE!” She yelled as loud as she could, listening to the echoes bounce off the walls. 

Fine. She didn’t care either. Sooner or later they’d find out what a SUCKY LOSER Reno was and THEN they’d be sorry! 

She pushed herself off the floor, wincing at her sore hands, and started to stomp toward the locker room, only to find that she had hurt her own ankle in her little tantrum. Exit Cissnei, limping, stage left.

 

The next day, Cissnei got off the elevator and started down the hall to the Turk lounge. She was accustomed to doing her homework there after class, while waiting for Tseng or Veld to have time for her. Today, the smell of cigarette smoke immediately tickled her nostrils as the elevator doors opened. Her steps slowed as she approached the lounge and the smell got stronger. 

Cissnei paused in the doorway. Reno was sprawled on the couch, a can of beer on the table beside it, and an overflowing ashtray next to that. She coughed delicately, waving her hand in front of her face. The miasma stung her eyes and throat. How could anyone deliberately enjoy this!

Reno glanced at her. “Yo,” he rasped, stubbing out his current butt and moving one leg off the couch so that there was room for her to sit.

Cissnei shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, clutching her textbook and computer pad close. “mhh.” She didn’t look at him.

“Yer Cissnei, yeah?” Reno leaned forward, picking a speck of tobacco off his lip and flicking it toward the rug.

“mmhh.” He knew who she was, she grouched to herself. Tseng had introduced everyone to him.

“Whatcha doin’ here, yo. Y’ain’t a Turk. Ya some sorta mascot or sumthin’?” He sat back, patting his pockets absently, found his pack of smokes and took out another, mostly ignoring her.

“I’m ALMOST a Turk!” Cissnei snapped, glaring at him. “I’m in TRAINING! I can be here! I do my homework here!”

“Homework?” Reno took in her book and pad as he lit up. “…..still a kiddie…” he mumbled around the cigarette as he shook the match out and tossed it into the ashtray. “Tseng’s too soft, yo.”

“He is NOT soft!” Cissnei was shocked and offended. How dare anyone say that about Tseng! “He is so….so HARD!” She fumbled for the words she wanted. “He’s HARD and TOUGH and SMART and NO ONE can beat him! Especially not YOU!” 

Reno started to laugh, choked on the smoke he had just inhaled, and went into a coughing fit instead. He pounded himself on the chest, hacking. “….m’sure he’s hard, yo! Whaddaya know bout that. Zatta perka bein’ th’mascot? Nah, yer too teensy fer much fun.” He wheezed, catching his breath and wiping his eyes. “Yer just a li’l gerbil, ain’t ya.” He continued to snicker.

Cissnei was confused and getting angrier by the second. She literally couldn’t understand most of what he said, between his thick slum accent, the coughing and the slang. The innuendo went right over her head. 

“You’re disgusting!” she spat. Of that she was completely sure. “I’m not staying here. I can hardly BREATHE!”

“Sure.” Reno took a swig of his beer and then experimentally cleared his throat with a nasty moist phlegmy sound. “Dun getcher knickers inna knot. Go eat a cheeseburger, yo. Or three.”

Cissnei blushed deeply. Now THAT she did understand. It was a sore point to be teased about being too thin. Especially when all the other girls in class had breasts and hips, and, except for her hair, she could still be mistaken for a young boy. Thirteen was a terrible age. And Reno zeroed right in on that. She hugged her book protectively against her non-existent chest. “I HATE YOU!” she yelled. “DRIZZLE-DOUCHE!”

Quickly she whirled and fled back down the hall, chased by Reno’s raspy wheezing laugh.

 

Lunch was usually something Cissnei looked forward to. Tseng had started a program for employees to bring their children to work if they so desired when Cissnei had first arrived at Shin-Ra; over the years many of them had taken advantage of having day care on site, and later the excellent educational opportunities the company could provide. In return, the few children who actually lived in the tower had the chance to interact socially with peers, and to have company for many of their classes.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Cissnei ate with the other children in a mess set aside for them, and it was a boisterous affair. Tuesday and Thursday, she dined with the other two 'tower kids', and either Tseng or Veld, and whatever other adults were scheduled to attend. People from all departments rotated through to ensure a wide variety of subjects were discussed at table.

Today it was Veld and a clutch of geologists, who sat at one end of the table and argued about the definition of schist versus shale versus slate. Rufus powered through his meal, as always, occasionally glancing at the scientists but mostly enjoying his food. Sephiroth ate daintily, carefully pushing his peas to the edges of the plate and ignoring the woman seated next to him, who kept staring at his hair. Cissnei usually matched Rufus’ appetite and ate quickly, hoping that whichever senior Turk was there would regale them with stories, but today she picked at her chicken parmesan, sadly twirling strands of pasta around and around on her plate.

Veld held court in his relaxed manner, chatting easily with the white coats and asking each of the his charges how their days were going. This had been a comfortable ritual for years, but it wouldn’t last much longer. Rufus and Sephiroth were both of an age to take on adult duties and schedules, and their days of having a haven in which to eat lunch would soon end. When that happened, Cissnei would also have to face some adjustments. 

Today he felt it was time to address the elfadunk in the room which seemed to be sitting squarely on Cissnei’s shoulders.

“So, Rufus,” he said. “How are you enjoying your accounting and statistics courses? Van Doerksen in Financing says he’s looking forward to having you start there next week. He feels you have a natural gift for spreadsheets.”

“I hate spreadsheets,” Rufus said darkly. “I want to finish with these infernal courses! I’m twenty-one now! I shouldn’t have to still be in school!”

“Well, you’re almost done,” Veld said soothingly. “And internships are not really courses. You’ll actually be doing hands-on work.”

“I do like money,” Rufus said thoughtfully. “Will they let me bring Dark? And do I get paid?”

“Yes, she will be welcome as long as you keep her under control. And yes, you do get a salary, and a title.”

“Good!” Rufus smiled and tucked into his sticky toffee pudding, brushing aside the tentacle that crept up from under the table and tried to dip into the whiskey cream sauce.

“Sephiroth.” 

Startled, Sephiroth blinked up at Veld, fork poised in midair. “Yes, sir?”

“I have heard glowing reports about your progress. As usual.” Veld smiled warmly at the young man who always seemed slightly tense, as if waiting for an alarm to go off.

“Thank you, sir.”

“I should like to come and watch you spar with the new recruits. Angeal and Genesis. I have only met them once since they arrived.”

Sephiroth pushed a tendril of hair that had escaped from his braid behind his ear. “Well, sir. I ship out for Wutai tomorrow, so…maybe when I get back.”

“Of course. I’ll look forward to it. I hope your mission goes well.”

“Thank you, sir. Me, too.”

“You’re going tomorrow?” Cissnei broke in. “I didn’t know that!” Her brow was furrowed.

“Why should anyone tell you?” Rufus asked.

“I just want to know, okay! I wouldn’t have even got to say good-bye!”

“Well, say it now and get it over with,” Rufus said, unconcerned, and not noticing the imminent tears across the table.

“You’re so mean! How can you be so mean! Don’t you care about anyone else but yourself?” Cissnei angrily wiped her eyes, spots of colour on each cheek.

“Of course I do,” Rufus said, frowning at the accusation. “I care about Dark Nation. I care about…um, about Veld, and Tseng. And my father,” he added belatedly.

“You do not! You only care about yourself! And dessert!”

“I do not! I am a very caring person! Extremely caring!”

“Liar!” Suddenly peas flew across the table, spattering against the ramparts of Rufus’ face and chest.

“You little swine!” Rufus looked around for something to fling back, but there wasn’t any stray food in his immediate vicinity. The geologists shoved their chairs back and started milling about in preparation for a quick exit.

“Enough!” Veld’s voice wasn’t loud, but it got everyone’s attention. He nodded to the scientists, giving them permission to continue their retreat. He cocked a warning eyebrow at Rufus, who was muttering under his breath and glaring at Cissnei. 

Sephiroth picked a pea out of his hair, looked at it with bemusement, and then carefully lined it up with the others at the edge of his plate. 

Veld’s hand came down on Cissnei’s and squeezed until she dropped the spoon she was gripping. “What’s going on?” he asked, although he had a good idea.

She blinked and sniffled and squirmed, looking down at her plate. Rufus folded his arms and glowered. He had no patience or understanding for someone else’s emotions. Sephiroth watched quietly. He saw this as another learning opportunity in an area he had not mastered.

“Are you sad Sephiroth is leaving?” Veld prompted.

“yes,” Cissnei whispered.

“You know we all have to go where we are needed, right?”

“yes.”

“Are you worried he might not come back?” Veld pushed her.

Cissnei nodded, not looking up.

Rufus scoffed. Veld shot him a warning look and he quieted.

“It’s okay to be worried. Danger is a part of our lives. Not everyone comes back.”

Cissnei gulped, tears starting to run down her cheeks.

“I will try to come back unscathed,” Sephiroth offered, feeling a niggling of concern; for himself or for Cissnei, he wasn’t quite sure.

“You…you better!” Cissnei managed.

“He’ll be fine. He always is,” Rufus said, leaning back in his chair. “Don’t be such a baby.”

“Rufus…” Veld’s warning came too late. Cissnei jumped to her feet, grabbed the heavy serving dish of pasta and heaved it straight at his head. In a split second, Rufus’ arms shot out to the sides in surprise as he saw it coming; Sephiroth’s arm shot out and snatched it from the air just before it could hit him; and Rufus, who had overbalanced in his surprise, continued his backward topple, crashing down onto Dark Nation, who had been behind his chair.

“YOU ARE SO MEAN! I HATE YOU! WHAT IF HE DOESN’T COME BACK?? WHAT IF NO ONE EVER COMES BACK?! I NEVER GET TO GO ANYWHERE BUT EVERYONE ELSE DOES AND WHAT IF THEY DON’T COME BACK AND I’M LEFT HERE ALL ALONE!! PEOPLE ALWAYS LEAVE! THEY GO AWAY AND NEVER COME BACK! EVERYONE IS LEAVING! TSENG IS LEAVING! RENO’S RUINED EVERYTHING AND I HATE HIM AND I HATE YOU!” 

Cissnei ran from the room, leaving a stunned silence in her wake. Even Dark Nation, who had initially let loose a mighty bellow of her own, was quiet. She tentatively licked her master’s cheek as he lay on the floor and he patted her. “Girls,” he muttered in disgust. Sephiroth set the serving dish on the table and wiped the spaghetti off his hand. Veld sighed and stood up. “Well. I think I have some people to talk to.”

 

 _Oh, no. No. No no no!_

The helicopter was loaded and ready to go. All that was left was for its passengers to climb aboard, but that part seemed to have run into a glitch. A small knot of people stood at the edge of the landing pad, and it appeared that there was an argument going on. One of the taller ones turned abruptly away and made his way to the helo, ducking under the blades and disappearing within. 

Tseng was annoyed. Very annoyed. He liked things to run according to plan. They were now three minutes past their assigned lift-off time. He had made an exception for this mission and he was already regretting it. 

Cissnei had been so excited when Veld and Tseng had called her into Veld’s office to discuss the next phase of her training. She would be included on the next mission that Tseng commanded, so that he could evaluate her skills in the field. At the most, she had been expecting a trip to the slums, or maybe an overnighter to the Waste, but this! A three week mission to the Northern Crater! She was beside herself with joy and had been barely able to contain herself for the last week while preparations were made. 

Now she stood on the tarmac in her new parka and boots, sweating slightly on a warm Midgar morning, and the chopper that was to take her to the next stage of her life was sitting feet away. But. But. HE was there. No one had told her that HE would be coming on this trip, too! It would now be Tseng and her and HIM. It was unbearable! But if she wanted to go, there was no choice.

Reno was already in the chopper. Cissnei could see Tseng was losing patience. She looked up at him, and then at the helicopter, and gritted her teeth, scowling. Then she marched past Tseng, under the blades, and climbed aboard. So be it. Reno would not deprive her of this chance! And she would show Tseng that this guy was an idiot and by the time they got back, Tseng would be happy to get rid of him and thank her for it! Yes! Exit Cissnei, straight up.

 

After landing and unloading, the first item on the agenda was to scout out a good place to build a shelter. As the sound of the chopper died away in the distance, the silence pressed in on them. There was only the shushing of the wind over packed snow, and the creak of their footsteps as they tromped around. The sky was high and clear and it was possible to see for miles, all the way to the edge of the Northern Crater. Cissnei drew deep breaths of air so cold and thin that it burned her lungs, and felt a fierce happiness at just being alive and present in such a place! She was about to say something to that effect but Tseng made a hand motion to cut her off. Knowing her natural exuberance and her lack of control, he silently reminded her to keep quiet. One did not announce one’s presence with shouting, singing or shrieks, happy or otherwise, when one was a Turk on a mission. Especially when in an area where avalanches were prevalent. Cissnei shut her mouth and settled for a wide grin.

Tseng allowed his two underlings to take charge of setting up camp. It was important to see what both their skill sets were. Meanwhile he busied himself prepping a series of remote sensors and probes and tying them in with their small portable computer. The information would be downloaded and sent on to Midgar, where it would be analyzed and used by seismologists, geologists, meteorologists and biologists.

Cissnei and Reno avoided speaking to each other unless absolutely necessary. Fortunately they were in agreement that an igloo-type shelter would serve them best, as the snow was suitable for cutting blocks and they were going to be there for a while. There was a small struggle for the snow saw which ended when Reno yanked it out of Cissnei’s hands and held it above his head out of her reach, until she gave up and took the shovel to mark out the boundaries of the shelter and dig an initial trench. Reno started cutting blocks, and then they both stacked them. Tseng stepped in to work on the upper layers with Reno, while Cissnei smoothed the floor inside, and chinked the cracks with snow. Reno built a small wall outside to help break the wind and protect their entrance, while Tseng finished a snow bench inside and Cissnei, with her young knees, crawled in and out, hauling their supplies inside. By the time the sun set, they were snugly ensconced, drinking hot tea and deciding on who would sleep where. Tseng ended up in the middle that night, and felt it was a prudent move to help keep the peace. Also, it was the warmest spot, though he would never admit he appreciated that. Because he was TOUGH.

Reno had no qualms about rolling close to Tseng to share body heat, but Cissnei wouldn’t admit she was cold. She lay awake most nights, shivering convulsively and listening to Reno’s snores and Tseng’s quiet breathing, and trying to come up with a concrete plan to get rid of Reno.

But despite her resentment, every day brought new experiences and new challenges to conquer, and she was so focused on doing each task well that she often forgot entirely about Reno…until he came back within her line of sight. For his part, Reno ignored her unless he had to interact with her. He was well aware that, as a new recruit, he was on probation, and he, too, wanted to impress Tseng and secure his place amongst the Turks.

Now he stood outside the igloo at dawn, having a smoke and watching the grey sky get lighter. The sun was hidden behind the clouds and the wind was picking up again. Under his hood his scalp prickled and he could feel the small hairs on the back of his neck and his arms rise. Something wasn’t quite right today. Over his lifetime he had learned to trust his gut feelings, so he stood silently, trying to pin down what it was that was bothering him. 

Behind him, Cissnei crawled out and scrambled to her feet, fixing her hood and tightening her scarf, squinting against the wind. She started past him without speaking, but he stuck out his arm and stopped her. “Where ya goin’, squirt.”

She pushed his arm down impatiently. “Checking the traps,” she said.

“Gotcher radio? Gotcher weapon?”

“Of course! I’m not a moron!” She reached up and shoved her scarf down so she could speak more clearly. “You’re not the boss of me! And what do you care, anyway! I bet you’d be happy if I got lost in the snow and never came back!” Her hot breath puffed out in a cloud and she could feel her nostrils sticking together as she inhaled the icy air, and the moisture from her breath freezing on her eyelashes. She pulled her scarf back up.

Reno snorted and bared his teeth at her in a leer. “Nah. Tseng wouldn’ like that.” He took one last drag of his cigarette and snuffed it in the snow, then tucked the butt into his pocket to dispose of later. As slovenly as he might be at other times, he knew not to leave debris behind in the field. The smoke streamed out of his mouth and nostrils as he spoke. “Just…be careful. Gotta funny feeling. Keep yer eyes peeled, yo.”

“mmh.” Cissnei grumped and scrunched away. Reno watched her go for a few minutes, then shrugged and went back into the shelter to collect his equipment for the day.

Tseng was slipping on his mittens in preparation for his own outing. Reno moved out of his way, and repeated his warning. “Watch yerself, boss. Dunno, but feels weird today.”

Tseng raised an eyebrow at him. “The weather?” he asked.

“Dunno.” Reno flapped his hands in frustration. “Could be, yo. Winds pickin’ up.”

“Noted. I shall be collecting probes ten through fifteen and will be back by mid-afternoon.” Tseng dropped to his knees to exit. 

“Gotcha, boss.” Reno said no more. He had delivered his warning, but it was not his place or his nature to act like a nursemaid. They all had their work to do and it would serve no purpose to sit inside and worry. That was not what Turks did.

For his part, Tseng tucked the information into the back of his mind, and maintained his usual state of alertness. He was not without his own intuition, but nothing was currently setting off his internal alarms. He’d keep an eye on the weather, aware it could worsen quickly. He didn’t want to be caught away if it became a blizzard. 

It was hard to judge the time passing. The gray light dimming and the shadows shifting were the only indications that the day was wearing on. Snow swirled hypnotically in the air, making it hard to focus for more than a few feet ahead. The snowfield merged with the sky and there was no definitive horizon to orient on. Tseng had to stop and check his coordinates every fifteen minutes to stay on track. It was slow going, but he worked his way through each of the probes due for collection this day and eventually arrived at the last one. 

Tseng glanced up at the sky, and scanned his surroundings before kneeling to extract the probe and add it to the others. Then he took a few minutes to rest. He should have just enough time to make it back before the light was gone. He dug around and found a couple of energy cubes, washing them down with the last of the hot tea in his thermos. Time to go. He stood, hoisting his now heavy pack, and settling it on his back. He automatically double-checked his weapon, GPS and radio, pulled his scarf up and his mitts back on, and set off toward camp.

The wind was doing funny things. It would howl around his head, picking up snow that stung his eyes and cheeks, and then suddenly die away completely, leaving an unnerving silence in which he could hear his own breathing and the steady crunch of snow under his boots. Then it would come back, starting low in the distance and making a hissing noise like a hundred snakes, growing steadily louder, chasing him, until he was unconsciously almost running and had to stop, slow his heart, orient himself and set off again at a normal pace. Several times he found himself looping away from the course he should be on. And several times, when the wind died away, he distinctly felt like he was being watched. Now his personal alarm bells were definitely going off. He slipped his gun out of its holster and flicked off the safety. Maybe he was being paranoid, but better to be prepared than not.

As it got darker, his eyes started playing tricks on him. He kept seeing flickers of light in his peripheral vision, but when he turned to look they were gone. He thought at first it might be the setting sun glinting off snow and ice, but that was wishful thinking. The sun hadn’t been out from behind the clouds for days. Perhaps he was going snowblind. He blinked hard, and rubbed his mittens across his eyes to clear his lashes of ice crystals. But the flickers still came and went. 

In his preoccupation with the wind and odd lights, Tseng had not stopped to check his coordinates for a while. He suddenly realized this as his foot went through the snow and he plunged down, up to his thighs in powder, losing his balance and pitching forward. He had missed the edge of a steep valley: in the featureless snow and the dim light there was no delineation that he could see and avoid.

He was on a slope, and as he started to slide he flung his hands out to try and stabilize himself. His gun slithered out of his grasp and sank out of sight. He slid a bit more, managing to turn himself sideways to the slope and stop before he went too much farther. Breathing hard, he lay still, praying the whole area would not give way and carry him with it. 

Carefully, inch by inch, Tseng slowly worked his arms out of his pack straps, and then slowly turned over, feeling with his hands and feet deep in the snow for some sort of purchase. It was getting dark, but he kept calm, knowing he needed to get back up the slope quickly. Before he completely lost the light, he tried to follow the marks of where he had first fallen, back to where his gun might be. With any luck, he would be able to find it. And if not, he did have a back-up weapon, but it was under his parka and he would need to be able to maneuver it out once he was on a stable surface.

Foot by foot he worked his way toward his goal. He glanced down, making sure he still had the pack with the probes, and then suddenly light blazed, blinding him. There was a hissing noise as something slid over the surface of the snow and before his eyes could adjust, he felt a searing pain in his shoulder. Taken by surprise, weaponless, unable to see and in a precarious position, he had no chance to defend himself. Then the light vanished and he was left gasping in the dark, feeling warmth spreading down his arm, chest and back, steam rising as the snow melted around him.

Cissnei trudged slowly toward the igloo, more tired and cold than she could remember ever being. Her feet and lower legs were numb, despite her extra socks, thermal underwear, thick pants and boots. However, she felt very satisfied. She had a snowshoe hare and an ermine to show for her day. The hare would make a hearty stew, and the ermine had a beautiful pelt, and she was proud to bring both back and provide for her companions. _Even Reno_ , she thought, feeling generous in her success.

The shelter was cold and dark. She left the game outside and crawled in to light the fuel block in the little stove and turn on the tactical lanterns. When it was getting warm and cozy inside and her hands were thawed out, she went back out to finish dressing the hare and start it cooking for dinner. Fresh food was always a nice change from MREs and freeze-dried rations, and she wanted to have things ready when the others got back. 

A stew was simmering, the saddles of the hare were roasting and hot tea was steeped when Reno pushed his way inside an hour later. “Smells good, yo,” he said grudgingly. “Yer good fer sumthin’, ain’t ya.”

Cissnei glared at him. “I don’t have to share with you,” she growled. 

Reno snorted, shaking snow out of his hair before it melted. “Ya got no sensa humor, do ya, squirt. That’ll put ya inna early grave, yo.”

Cissnei chose not to answer him, instead handing him a mug of tea. Reno took it and looked into it. “Poison’s for th’weaker sex, they say. Whaja put innit?”

Her mouth fell open. “Weak?!” Her eyes narrowed and her cheeks flared. Then she deliberately took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. _Serenity now_ , she thought. “Poison. I didn’t even think of it. Damn! I missed a chance. I’m going to have points deducted for that!” Her pout was mostly real but there was a glint in her eye.

“I’ll put in a good word fer ya, if I survive, yo,” Reno assured her, and took a swig. “Ahhhhh!”

Cissnei waited.

“Nope. No deal,” Reno declared. “I’m good, yo!”

“Rats,” Cissnei muttered and stirred the stew.

“Tseng outside?” Reno asked, starting to remove his boots. 

“No. He wasn’t here when I got back. I haven’t seen him.”

Reno paused, one boot still on. “He said he’d be back before dark. It’s dark. He’s way late, yo.”

They looked at each other. Cissnei felt her stomach tighten. Reno grabbed his radio and started to go through all the channels, trying to raise Tseng. Cissnei grabbed her coat and crawled outside with the night vision thermal binoculars, and her own radio, in case there was a better signal. Ten minutes later they regrouped inside. 

“Nothing,” Cissnei said. “And no visual. You?” 

“Just static. Gonna go hava looksee.” Reno yanked his boot back on and pulled a survival kit into his lap, double-checking the contents. “Not like Tseng to be so late, yo. Sumthin’s up.”

Cissnei anxiously chewed her lip. He was right. Something was wrong. Tseng would have checked in, if he was going to be late. And yet… “What if this is a test? What if he’s testing us…me?”

Reno stopped and looked at her, his face blank. “Whaddya think? What does yer gut tell ya?”

“no,” Cissnei whispered.

“No. And if it is, I ain’t willin’ t’risk ‘is life.” 

Cissnei turned off the stove and two of the three lanterns. She poured the rest of the tea into a thermos, and wrapped the roasted meat, shoving it into her pack. “I’m going with you!”

“Nah. Ya stay here, in case.”

“In case of what? I’m not going to stay here alone! I have to go with you! Tseng…” Her voice quavered. “I’m going.”

Reno sighed. “Ya can’t keep up, ya go back. Ain’t gonna rescue two people, yo!”

Cissnei tied her scarf tightly. “I don’t need to be rescued!” she said, sounding muffled.

Reno shoved the pack in front of himself as he crawled out. “Then let’s go.”

They headed into the dark along the route they knew Tseng would have had to take. They stopped every ten minutes: Cissnei checked their coordinates, and Reno swept the area with the binoculars, looking for any heat signatures or irregularities in the endlessly monotonous snowfields. They kept one of the radios on, trying different channels as they moved.

Somehow the dark made everything seem bigger and farther away. And colder. More than once, Cissnei stifled a whimper as she jumped and looked wildly around. But she couldn’t let Reno know how scared she was. Turks did not get scared! Turks were calm and always knew what they were doing! No way would she ever be less in front of him! And Tseng would never be scared! She would be like him, and he would be proud of her! But she made sure not to stray far from her tall companion, just the same.

Reno wouldn’t admit he was feeling more than uneasy himself, but for different reasons. His main concern was making sure he didn’t miss a sign of Tseng and go right past him. He knew that would be frighteningly easy to do. But he also didn’t want to panic the girl. He sensed she was holding it together, but having her stampede would be one more thing he didn’t need to deal with right now. Occasionally he tossed out a comment to needle her: from personal experience he knew that anger kept fear at bay.

Cissnei rubbed her eyes. She was more tired than she thought; the lights at the edges of her vision were distracting. She shook her head. “Can we stop for a minute? I think I need to check where we are. I keep seeing sparkles and it’s throwing me off.”

“Sparkles?” Reno frowned. “Like, just where ya can’t quite catch ‘em?”

“Yes. I turn to look and they’re gone.”

Reno hummed to himself, shifting in the snow while Cissnei checked their location and route. He raised the binoculars to his eyes and turned slowly in a circle. Then he lowered them, letting them dangle on their strap around his neck, and slowly unhooked a thick cylinder from his belt. It slid comfortably into his mittened palm like it was part of his hand. “Getcher weapon out, squirt,” he said, “an’ stay sharp. Which way?”

Her heart pounding, Cissnei pointed, drawing her shuriken. The shuriken Tseng had helped her pick out. To her dismay, her hands were shaking. “What…what…” She couldn’t get the words out.

“Tonberry.”

Cissnei felt her fear flare higher and her mouth went dry. Tonberry! She had never seen one in the flesh, only seen visuals and heard stories which seemed awfully exciting at the time, but now she just wanted to be safe inside somewhere. Anywhere but out here! But Tseng! Where was he? He was out here! They couldn’t leave him out here with Tonberrys!

They stepped as quietly as they could but the snow squeaked and creaked. Cissnei kept watch when Reno was using the binoculars, terrified that something would creep up behind them. 

Suddenly Reno dropped the binocs again and moved forward quickly. “See sumthin’! Getta bearing and come on, yo!”

Hastily Cissnei took a reading and then ran after Reno as fast as she could. “What did you see? Where? Is it Tseng? Is it him?”

“Shut yer trap! Dunno yet, but yer lettin’ th’Planet know we’re here! Too yappy ain’t good, yo!”

Cissnei felt her cheeks grow hot but kept her silence. He was right. She should have more control! She panted along behind him, not forgetting to watch for monsters trying to flank them. Which was why she missed the edge of the slope. She couldn’t suppress a surprised yelp as she disappeared in a cloud of soft snow and slid down on her butt, like a little snowplow. As she came to a stop, it seemed very quiet. Then she heard Reno calling down to her, as quietly as he could. “Hey! Y’okay?”

“ouch.” Her butt and hands stung and there was snow down her neck and up her sleeves. One of her mittens was gone, but her shuriken was sticking out of the snow a few feet away. “Yeah, I’m okay,” she said, pitching her voice low, as he was. “There’s a ledge. I didn’t see it.”

“No shit,” came the amused reply. “Can ya get back up here?”

“I’ll try.” She scooted around carefully and tried to get her feet under herself.

“Careful, yo. Dun want ya t’slide farther down. Gonna see if there’s a….” His voice faded as he moved away. 

Cissnei scrambled around as quietly as she could and managed to retrieve her weapon, but snow and dirt still slid away around her. “I HATE this!” she grumbled to herself. “I want to go HOME!”

As she paused to regroup, she thought she heard someone say her name. Could Tonberrys speak? She couldn’t remember if they could! Holding her breath, she listened hard. And it came again. A familiar voice, weak but calling her name.

“Sir! Sir, where are you?! Reno!” she called up in as loud a whisper as she could. “Reno! He’s here! I can hear him but I can’t see him! RENO!”

“What! Whaddya want! Tolja t’be quiet!” He was there at the top of the ridge again.

“I can hear Tseng! He’s here! I heard him! Can you see him?!” Cissnei was getting frantic.

“….hang on.” There was a pause. “Got ‘im! He’s ‘bout twenny feet t’yer left. Can ya get to ‘im?”

“I’ll try!” Now that she knew which way to go, Cissnei felt a surge of confidence. It was also easier to move sideways on the slope than straight up. In a few minutes, she could make out a darker blotch on the dark hill, and then she was there. Reno kept pace above, one eye on her and one watching out for danger from any other direction.

“Sir? Sir?” Cissnei reached to shake Tseng and felt her hand touch cold, wet material. At the same time, the iron smell of blood hit her. “He’s hurt! He’s bleeding! I can’t see where!” she called up hoarsely. “He’s so cold! We have to get him out of here!” 

“Righto.” 

Cissnei leaned close to Tseng’s face, hoping for some response, but he was now unconscious. “Sir? We’re going to get you up. Don’t worry. You’ll be okay. I know you will!” she said fiercely, willing herself not to cry. That would never do!

A rope suddenly fell on Cissnei’s head and she grabbed it gratefully. Her training clicked in, and she immediately threaded it around Tseng’s inert body, making a harness that would support him in as gentle a fashion as possible. She didn’t know where he was hurt, or if it was safe to move him, but he couldn’t be left here. It had to be done. 

“Okay, go!” she whispered up to Reno, who began to pull. Initially, Cissnei had to dig and push a bit to get Tseng out from the dirt, snow and ice that had crusted around his body, but once he was moving uphill, he slid quite easily. Cissnei did what she could to guide him until he was out of her reach, and then could only watch anxiously until he slid over the lip of the crater and out of her sight. 

“Got ‘im,” came Reno’s disembodied voice. “Can ya make it up now? Or do ya need rescuin’?” His head popped into view, and though it was too dark for her to see his expression, she knew he was smirking.

Angrily she floundered around on the slope for another five minutes before admitting defeat. “I don’t need rescuing!” she hissed to the night sky. 

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Well, how’s bout I throw th’rope down anyway? Ain’t got time to wait for yer skinny ass no more!”

“Yes, please,” she sighed sadly, and the rope smacked her in the head again.

She finally scrambled onto level ground a few minutes later to find that Reno had a couple of emergency blankets wrapped around Tseng, and another laid out beside him. She crouched next to him, trying to see where he was injured. “Is he okay?” she asked.

“Dunno. Looks like knife wounds to his left shoulder area. Lotsa blood but th’cold stopped it. Got ‘im wropped up fer now.” Reno was scanning their surroundings again as he spoke.

Cissnei touched Tseng’s ice cold face. “Hypothermia,” she said. Reno grunted in affirmation. “Get th’other blanket. Cut sum holes in th’edges of it and thread th’rope through. We’ll put ‘im on there and sled ‘im back. Faster than carryin’ ‘im.”

Cissnei understood what he was wanting to do and set to work. In short order they moved Tseng onto the blanket and tied it shut over him so he wouldn’t roll out as they moved. Reno shouldered the emergency pack, and picked up the ropes attached to the blanket, settling them over his chest and shoulders like the harness of a chocobo pulling a cart. Cissnei made sure of the direction and drew her weapon again, falling back behind Tseng to guard their backs. “Let’s hurry,” she whispered. 

They moved as fast as they could. The snow started swirling again, which was disorienting, but the wind was less, so the visibility was not too bad. She wished terribly that there was something more that they could do for Tseng, but until they got him back to the igloo that wasn’t possible. Right now, the important thing was to get to safety. She could hear Reno wheezing with effort, and the thought flashed through her mind, uncharitably, that if this didn’t make him give up smoking she didn’t know what would!

They were getting close to their camp when the panicky prickly feeling came over her again. She stopped, looking frantically around. Reno seemed to feel it as well and slowed to a stop. They waited tensely, straining all their senses.

“Sparkles,” Cissnei whispered. Reno nodded. “At three o’clock.” They both turned in that direction. This time the light didn’t disappear.

Reno shrugged off the rope harness, letting it fall to the ground. “Watch our backs, yo,” he warned, and Cissnei moved to stand on the other side of Tseng’s body, taking a deep breath to steady herself. Nothing would touch him while she was alive!

Now she could hear a faint jingling, like tiny bells. Without any seeming effort, the Tonberry was gliding swiftly toward them, its robe making a hissing noise as it slid over the snow. In seconds it was close enough for her to see the smooth head, and the blank eyes. A chill ran through her. This was nothing like the pictures and videos!

Suddenly she heard a buzzing hum and saw a red glow appear in Reno’s hand. The charge the EMR generated made her teeth buzz and her scalp crawl. It also made the Tonberry pause in its advance. It cocked its head, appraising them. 

“Throw!” Cissnei jerked, thinking that the Tonberry had spoken. But it was Reno. “Throw!” he repeated urgently. “Do it now!” In a second, she realized that for Reno to use his weapon, the monster would have to be much closer. Much _**too**_ close! But her weapon could take it out at a farther range, before it got close enough to hurt them. To hurt Tseng, who was helpless.

“Whaddya waitin’ for! Goddammit, THROW!” Reno roared. The Tonberry rushed toward them, knife raised. Cissnei screamed. Or at least she thought she did. It came out as a squeak. And she hurled her shuriken as hard as she could at the oncoming monster. 

The whirling whine of her weapon cutting through the cold air as it flew back to her died away, leaving her with the blood pounding in her ears and her mouth open, gasping as the adrenaline soared through her body. She stood still, feet spread and braced; the shuriken locked in her grip and poised to throw again; and watched as Reno carefully prodded the inert body of the Tonberry with his EMR. “Dead,” he said with satisfaction. “Ya done good, squirt.” And with that, he turned his weapon off, took a look around to make sure there were no other monsters on the horizon, picked up the rope again and headed off. 

It took Cissnei a good minute to be able to lower her arms. Reaction hit her and she was shaking all over. She made her wobbly legs move, following Reno and Tseng. As she passed the Tonberry, she paused. Her first kill. She felt rather ill, even though there was no choice: if she had not taken its life, it would have taken theirs. It didn’t look very dangerous now, though, lying there in the bloody snow. She had hit it so hard it was nearly torn apart. She closed her eyes for a second, not sure what to feel.

Taking another few steps, she bent and picked up the Tonberry’s knife. It had blood on its blade. Tseng’s blood. Suddenly she felt fine. Sticking the knife through her belt, she hurried to catch up with the others. She’d give Tseng the knife later. The thought made her smile. 

They reached their igloo soon after, slid Tseng inside and got the stove going again. Soon it was toasty warm and Tseng’s wounds started to bleed again as he thawed out and he started to come around. They applied what first-aid they could, with such severe injuries compounded by hypothermia; forced a Potion down his throat, followed by hot broth; curled up on either side of him to share their warmth; and waited for an emergency evac. 

The chopper reached them late the next morning. Tseng was loaded first and the medic tended to him as Reno and Cissnei threw their gear into the vehicle as quickly as they could. The last pack contained the probes that Tseng had risked his life to retrieve. Cissnei had dragged them up the slope and carried them back, knowing that she had to at least make the effort not to lose them. Turks always completed their mission, and she was not about to let Tseng down! Exit Cissnei, frozen but triumphant.

She heaved the awkward bundle upward, pushing it into the helicopter. Reno leaned down from inside and took it from her, stowing it carefully, then turned and held out his hand. Cissnei paused as she was about to jump in, looking up at him. Then she grabbed his hand. They gave each other a little nod, and he hauled her up. But he couldn’t resist smacking her butt as she swung in past him, and her high-pitched shriek of anger was cut off as the door slammed shut and the rotors sped up.

 

When Veld stopped in to visit Tseng in the Infirmary a few days later, he eyed the younger man in mild exasperation. “Well, Tseng. What do you have to say for yourself?” 

Tseng shifted painfully, propped up in his bed, and adjusted the sling that immobilized his injured shoulder. Then he met Veld’s gaze with his usual equanimity. “Missions accomplished, sir.”

“My dear Tseng,” Veld sighed, the corner of his mouth quirking up. “You always were an overachiever.”


End file.
